Best Thread List nominations?* - 09/04/01 05:00 AM
Wasn't sure where to go with this, but decided on W & F because I think more folks will see it here, and the more input the better. But I was thinking about recent discussions of newcomers and how difficult it is to peruse past posts. I also had PM correspondence with a friend who peeked-in on one of our stranger threads, and I wondered what would happen to someone who did that if they didn't know somebody on the board to coach them. I know when I first looked in I just perused some of the more recent threads for awhile. I still really haven't had the chance to go back and look over archival threads, and I wouldn't have a clue as to knowing which ones were the most worthwhile. So I had this idea: What if we all nominated say, three (3) threads, based on quality to formulate a sort of thread guide for newcomers we could post on the Information for Newcomers thread on I & A (and perhaps Max could put the thread list up on Awadabilia, his marvelous Website that everyone should visit. no charge for the plug, Max
This would create a good introduction for "strangers" to peruse the best of what AWAD has seen, instead of jumping haphazardly into one of our weaker, weirder, or totally digressive threads, or popping into the middle of one of our non-typical friendly debates like some of the current threads on I & A (and, even if they do, they will still have this list of quality threads to peruse as counterpoint). I know I had fun with it, but if I had jumped into the middle of that Vixy thread, for instance, without knowing what was going on, I would have said, "These people are doing magic mushrooms on Mars! I'm outta here!"
Also, there are a lot of folks who have been around a lot longer than I have, and I could use the list to go back and peruse choice threads I missed. It would be nice to have a reference of recommendations to use for that.
It's getting late, so let me cut to the chase. I recommend we all select threads that jump out in our memories for us, that meet the critria of quality, but also contain the elements of humor, intriguing digression, and novel insight (among others) that keep these threads rich with that special interplay of knowledge and entertainment which makes AWAD such a unique and stimulating place. And in order to refrain from false modesty, I think, that additionally, everyone should be allowed to nominate two (2) of their own threads.
These are not just favorite threads, these should be chosen by careful consideration as a site guide for us all, really. An "AWAD's Greatest Hits" as it were.
For example, my first nomination is the "time on my hands" thread from Q & A which I'm sure will appear on many ballots. The other two I'll have to come back and edit-in after some thought. I recommend we all keep our picks on our original posts, as editing-in new choices will prevent the confusion of split posts. Reasons for the nominations can be supplied, I think, but not necessary. If a thread appears on, say, three ballots, then we can put it on a list for a full vote (this, of course, is open to discussion...see Jackie's reccommendation of no-voting that I respond to in my edit at the bottom here). And I don't think there should be any rush to a deadline here, although expedience would help new folks:
1. "time on my hands" Q & A 8/3/01 (Simply majestic!...what more can I say?)
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=35912
1. b. (a continuation) "TIME for a new thread, people" Q & A 8/19/01
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=37382
2. ?
3. ?
My own 2 nominated threads:
1. "a whole nother thread!???" Q & A 6/14/2001 (a spur of the moment post that surprisingly turned into a wonderful excursion into the confluence of sight and sound linguistics, at once educational and entertaining, and it even spawned one of those AWAD catch-phrases you see folks use from time to time)
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=30497
2. "A Couplet of Questions...??" Wordplay & Fun 7/13/01 (An offshoot of some other "Question" threads that were running at the time, it pulled us into a cool creative zone that was as much a challenge as a delight, and the poetic repartee never ceased to amaze me! Everyone who contributed here was at the peak of their powers, and sparkling all the way!)
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=wordplay&Number=33838
So there it is, folks...blame it on the full-moon or blame it on me...but what sayest the board? A good idea?
Maybe no? Maybe with revisions? (Perhaps we should have one thread to discuss this, and another just for the vote).
(edit -- Yes, Jackie, I was thinking that, perhaps, we could have faith in the integrity and sincerity of people's judgement in contributing to this endeavor, but then we might also have to reduce the number of selections? And yes, Chemeng, maybe we can post the page url next to each thread when the list is added to the "Info for Newcomers" on I & A.)
(edit) *I changed the subject from "Thread Award" to "Best Thread List" because it's not a competition or award by any means, simply a way to highlight our discourse at its best. I just included the following in a PM, and I think it can be adopted as a sort of "statement of purpose" here: "I hope the Best Thread List happens because I think it will be helpful to everybody, have a way of self-policing the integrity of the board, and let newcomers see the level of exchange that goes on here at our best moments (just in case they pop-in at our worst)." That's it, very simply in a nutshell.
This would create a good introduction for "strangers" to peruse the best of what AWAD has seen, instead of jumping haphazardly into one of our weaker, weirder, or totally digressive threads, or popping into the middle of one of our non-typical friendly debates like some of the current threads on I & A (and, even if they do, they will still have this list of quality threads to peruse as counterpoint). I know I had fun with it, but if I had jumped into the middle of that Vixy thread, for instance, without knowing what was going on, I would have said, "These people are doing magic mushrooms on Mars! I'm outta here!"Also, there are a lot of folks who have been around a lot longer than I have, and I could use the list to go back and peruse choice threads I missed. It would be nice to have a reference of recommendations to use for that.
It's getting late, so let me cut to the chase. I recommend we all select threads that jump out in our memories for us, that meet the critria of quality, but also contain the elements of humor, intriguing digression, and novel insight (among others) that keep these threads rich with that special interplay of knowledge and entertainment which makes AWAD such a unique and stimulating place. And in order to refrain from false modesty, I think, that additionally, everyone should be allowed to nominate two (2) of their own threads.
These are not just favorite threads, these should be chosen by careful consideration as a site guide for us all, really. An "AWAD's Greatest Hits" as it were.
For example, my first nomination is the "time on my hands" thread from Q & A which I'm sure will appear on many ballots. The other two I'll have to come back and edit-in after some thought. I recommend we all keep our picks on our original posts, as editing-in new choices will prevent the confusion of split posts. Reasons for the nominations can be supplied, I think, but not necessary. If a thread appears on, say, three ballots, then we can put it on a list for a full vote (this, of course, is open to discussion...see Jackie's reccommendation of no-voting that I respond to in my edit at the bottom here). And I don't think there should be any rush to a deadline here, although expedience would help new folks:
1. "time on my hands" Q & A 8/3/01 (Simply majestic!...what more can I say?)
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=35912
1. b. (a continuation) "TIME for a new thread, people" Q & A 8/19/01
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=37382
2. ?
3. ?
My own 2 nominated threads:
1. "a whole nother thread!???" Q & A 6/14/2001 (a spur of the moment post that surprisingly turned into a wonderful excursion into the confluence of sight and sound linguistics, at once educational and entertaining, and it even spawned one of those AWAD catch-phrases you see folks use from time to time)
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=30497
2. "A Couplet of Questions...??" Wordplay & Fun 7/13/01 (An offshoot of some other "Question" threads that were running at the time, it pulled us into a cool creative zone that was as much a challenge as a delight, and the poetic repartee never ceased to amaze me! Everyone who contributed here was at the peak of their powers, and sparkling all the way!)
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=wordplay&Number=33838
So there it is, folks...blame it on the full-moon or blame it on me...but what sayest the board? A good idea?
Maybe no? Maybe with revisions? (Perhaps we should have one thread to discuss this, and another just for the vote).
(edit -- Yes, Jackie, I was thinking that, perhaps, we could have faith in the integrity and sincerity of people's judgement in contributing to this endeavor, but then we might also have to reduce the number of selections? And yes, Chemeng, maybe we can post the page url next to each thread when the list is added to the "Info for Newcomers" on I & A.)
(edit) *I changed the subject from "Thread Award" to "Best Thread List" because it's not a competition or award by any means, simply a way to highlight our discourse at its best. I just included the following in a PM, and I think it can be adopted as a sort of "statement of purpose" here: "I hope the Best Thread List happens because I think it will be helpful to everybody, have a way of self-policing the integrity of the board, and let newcomers see the level of exchange that goes on here at our best moments (just in case they pop-in at our worst)." That's it, very simply in a nutshell.
